Featured Video
Woolman students take on the media and its often skewed portrayal of sex and gender roles in Consent!

Food for ThoughtThis spring's Food Intensive tied together many issues from the semester: social justice, water rights, environmental concerns, and sustainability.

Venturing Forth

In this issue, we look at Woolman Semester students who have gone out in the world to make a difference. Here are some of their thoughts and stories. To see more amazing work by Woolman alumni, please visit our new student projects page for a small but growing showcase.

Woolman Students are Artist-Activists

by Emily Zionts, Global Issues Teacher
Here are 2 wonderful examples of students that used their fabulous art skills to fundraise for issues they are passionate about:
Ben (Fall 09) wrote an amazing paper about the conflict in India between Monstanto and Indian Farmers. The paper was excellently researched and highlighted the unbalanced power dynamics between the two groups. His activism for the YAP was a most fashionalbe t-shirt which he designed, printed, and sold for donations towards an institution which fights for pro-farmer policies.
Katherine (Spring '10) became quite involved with indigenous peoples' rights for her YAP. Her completed paper was both informative and emotional in its description of a tribe in northern Columbia (the U'wa) and their non-violent battle against Occidental Petroleum Company. Katherine was inspired to use her keen drawing talents to create this charcoal portrait of an indigenous woman. She is currently selling raffle tickets for the drawing. The proceeds will go towards an organization fighting for indigenous rights!

by Becky Garnault, spring 2010 student
As consumers, we have not only power,
but responsibility to be self-sustainable,
Your choices are political.
The real meaning of organic is like a bodily function,
All for one and one for all.
Commit to advocate and educate.
Ethical, local, organic, mind, body, soul & planet.
Close the gap.
Leave no one behind...
"I Eat, Therefore I AM"

by Emily Zionts, Global Issues TeacherRead at the spring graduation ceremony
A lot of high school graduation speeches will include a bit about how proud we should be to be in the presence of tomorrow's leaders. This is not the case, at this morning's graduation. Here at Woolman, we are in the presence of the powerful young leaders of today. The world cannot wait for the quirky and brilliant ideas of this group, nor should it have to. Each of the students you see before you has the tools, the fire, and most importantly the heart to create long lasting, inclusive, joyful, beautiful, positive change in both their local communities and the wider world.

Woolman spring '04 alum Mandy Janoo received a Fulbright research grant to India where she will try to answer a question she posed, "How do developing countries compete in global markets while preserving social rights for workers?" She will investigate the economic competitiveness of the Self Employed Women Associations Trade Facilitation Center, an export-oriented grassroots textile cooperative in Ahmedabad.
"As a major hub of textile production, Ahmedabad provides an ideal environment in which to compare the success of the self-employed co-op with private competitors," Janoo said. "Success must be defined along two lines: competitiveness in the global market place and standards of social protections provided to employees."